Method of installing a one piece swimming pool

ABSTRACT

A ONE PIECE SWIMMING POOL LINER OF GLASS FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC OR OTHER SUITABLE MATERIAL, IS INSTALLED AND LEVELED IN PLACE IN AN EXCAVATION LINED WITH SAND OR A CEMENTITIOUS MIXTURE, THE EXCAVATION CORRESPONDING ESSENTIALLY TO THE CONTOUR OF THE POOL LINER, BY PARTIALLY FILLING THE POOL WITH WATER AND INTRODUCING WATER INTO THE SAND LAYER AT A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO PERMEATE THE SAND LAYER AND RAISE OR FLOAT THE POOL AND SETTLE THE SAND UNDERNEATH THE POOL.

R. G. STARK March 9, 1971 METHOD OF INSTALLING A ONE PIECE SWIMMING POOL Filed April 10. 1969 INVENTOR.

ROBERT G. STARK BY R. G. STARK March 9, 1971 METHOD OF INSTALLING A ONE PIECE SWIMMING POOL Filed April 10, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT G. STARK ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,568,392 METHOD OF INSTALLING A ONE PIECE SWIMMING POOL Robert G. Stark, Seattle, Wash, assignor to San Juan Products, Inc., Seattle, Wash. Filed Apr. 10, 1969, Ser. No. 822,835 Int. Cl. E02d 27/32, 27/52 U.S. Cl. 52742 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a method of installing a one piece swimming pool.

Prior art relating to the disclosure Many ways have been advocated for installing swimming pools. For example, see U.S. Pat. Reissue No. 25,199 wherein a pool liner is mounted in an excavation with substantially equidistant spacing between the liner and walls of the excavation and a cement mixture poured into the spacing simultaneously as water is introduced into the pool.

One of the problems encountered in installing a one piece pool liner into an excavation is in maintaining and keeping it level while the space around the excavation is being filled. Another problem is in digging an excavation which corresponds essentially to the contour of the pool liner in a quick, eflicient, and economical manner.

A method is disclosed herein for efiiciently excavating a cavity corresponding essentially to the contour of the pool liner, installing the pool liner and leveling the pool liner in place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the principal objects of this invention is in a method of excavating a cavity for a one piece swimming pool liner which is of the proper size, shape and grade.

Another object of this invention is in a method of leveling and settling a one piece pool liner in place in the excavation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of the one piece swimming pool of this invention shown in place;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view showing the pool liner in place resting on a layer of compacted sand and/or cementitious mixture;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an excavation illustrating the manner in which an excavation can be properly sized for any shape pool liner; and

FIGS. 5 to 7 are vertical sectional views illustrating steps in the method of installing a one piece swimming pool liner in an excavation lined with a porous compact material.

FIG. 1 shows the swimming pool liner in place after ICC installation. The one piece pool liner 10 is suitably made by laminating multiple glass fiber mats with a synthetic resin. The pool liner may also be made of other materials provided they are of suitable quality and durability for use in swimming pools. The pool liner 10 has a drain 12 in the deepest part thereof and provision for an underwater light 14 in one end thereof. The top ledge of the pool is supported by a concrete band 16, or by other suitable means.

It is important for proper installation of the pool that the excavation be of proper size, shape and grade. To accomplish this in a quick and efficient manner, parallel screeds 18 are positioned on each side of the location where the excavation is to be made with the top surfaces of the screeds at the exact grade desired for the finished pool. While the excavation is being made, a measuring device, shown in FIG. 4, is used to achieve the correct depth and contour in the excavation corresponding essentially to the contour of the pool liner 10. The measuring device comprises a horizontal support member 20- suspended between the parallel screeds 18. From the support member 20 are suspended a plurality of chains 22 or other suitable and equivalent means. The length of the chains depending from support member 20 is adjustable. To excavate a cavity using the measuring device, support member 20 is moved to a location on the screeds where the excavation is to be begun, and the chains are adjusted to the proper length corresponding to the depth and contour of the pool liner 10 at that particular point. Excavation is then begun and continued until the contour formed by the terminal ends of the chains depending from member 20 corresponds to the excavation. The support member 20 is then moved to another position parallel and adjacent to the initial position, the chains readjusted to suitable lengths corresponding to the depth and contour at that point, and excavation continued. This process is continued until the excavation is complete. The final size of the excavation should be somewhat larger than the shape of the pool liner so that a layer of fill can be compacted between the pool liner and the excavated cavity 11.

When required a sump 24 is positioned at the deepest part of the excavation. The sump is suitably a hole having a bottom a predetermined distance below the bottom of the pool liner filled with aggregate (see FIG. 2). A pipe 26 extends from sump 24 along the bottom 11 of the excavation to the top of the excavation.

The bottom of the excavation is lined with a layer 28 of sand or a mixture of sand and dry cement 28 to correspond to the contour of the pool liner as shown in FIG. 5. If needed, the measuring device described previously can be used to check the correct contour after the compacted layer 28 is in place.

Once the compacted layer 28 is in place, the pool liner 10 is lowered in place with a crane or other device and the ledge running around the pool suspended from screeds 18 as shown in FIG. 6. The pool liner is then removed to determine, from the depressions in the layer 28, if the pool liner seats evenly in place. If not, the contour at the incorrect points is readjusted. The pool liner is then again lowered in place and supported from screeds 18.

The pool liner is then partially filled with water. As the pool liner is filled with water, the weight of the water settles the liner in place. In settling, the pool liner may tilt from the desired level. To level the pool liner in place as it is being filled, water is pumped into the sump 24 through line 26 in sufficient volume and at a pressure sufficient to float the pool liner in the excavation and settle the sand or the sand mixture around the pool liner as shown in FIG. 7. High pressure water entering sump 24 through line 26 permeates the sand layer 28 and 3 washes the sand into any existing cavities. The pressure of the water on thebottom area of the pool liner is sufiicient to float the pool liner on the compact layer. While the pool liner is floating, it is leveled. The high pressure water in the compact layer enables the sand or cement mixture to fill any cavities around the liner, thus supporting the level pool liner in place. Once the pool liner is leveled, the water in the sump and sand layer is removed through line 26 and the level of the pool liner again checked. If the pool liner is not level, the process is repeated to again level the pool liner. Water in the pool liner can conveniently be pumped into sump 24 through line 26 or the water can be obtainedfrom another source.

Additional water-is then-introduced into the pool and at the same time the space between the excavation 11 and the pool liner around the poolisfilled with the sand or sand mixture. It is important that the pressure exerted on the inside and outside of the pool liner be maintained equal. To that end, any spaces between the excavation and the pool liner are filled simultaneously with the introduction of water into the pool.

As the pool is filled, it may again become unlevel. To again level the pool, even after it is over half full of water, water can be injected beneath the pool liner into the sand layer to again float the pool liner and level it as described previously. 1

Once the pool is leveled and filled with Water, the space around the pool is filled with dirt or sand and the final level checked. The filter equipment and other work is completed and the pool is ready for use.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1 i

1. A method of installing a one piece swimming pool comprising (a) excavating a cavity corresponding essentially to the contour of a swimming pool liner;

(b) lining the excavation with a layer 'of porous compact material, the surface of the layer corresponding essentially to the contour of the pool liner;

(c) placing the pool in the excavation at its final elevation; a ((1) partially filling the pool liner with water; and (e) leveling the pool liner in place by introducing water into said compact layer beneath the pool liner at a pressure sufficient to float the pool and settle the porous material beneath the pool liner.

2. The method of claim '1 including installing a sump at the deepest portion of the excavation andinstalling a line from the sump to the top of the excavation for injection of water into the sump and the compact layer of material beneath the pool liner surrounding the-sump.

3. The method of claim 1 including between steps (c) and (d), removing the pool liner and checking the depressions made in the compactlayer by the liner to determine correct seating of the pool liner on the compact layer, making any corrections necessary, and replacing the pool liner over the excavation at its final elevation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the water introduced into said compact layer is pumped from the water in the pool liner.

5. A method of installing a swimming pool comprising (a) beginning an excavation for a one piece pool liner;

(b) placing on each side of the excavation elongated support members having their top surfaces at the final elevation of the top of the pool liner;

(c) placing a supporting member between the elongated members at a first point, the supporting member having a plurality of depending members along its length, the length of the depending members adjusted to correspond substantially to the contour and depth of the pool liner at that point;

(d) excavating the cavity at that point to correspond to the depth and contour indicated by the ends of the depending members;

(e) moving the supporting member to a second point over the excavation and adjusting the length of the depending members to correspondsubstantially to the depth and contour of the pool liner at that point;

(f) repeating step (d) and continuing such process until the excavation is complete;

(g) installing a sump at the deep end of the excavation; v k

(h) lining the bottom of the excavation with a layer of substantially porous compact material, the'surface of the layer corresponding essentially to the contour of the .pool liner;

(i) placing the pool liner in the elevation; H

(j) partially filling the pool liner with water;-and

(k) leveling the pool liner in place as it is filled with water by introducing water into the sump at a pressure sufficient to float the pool liner and settle the compact layer beneath it, the water permeating the compact layer and settling it beneath the pool liner.

excavation at its final References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,887,759 .5/1959 Brownell 52742 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner 

